Royals to visit Vancouver, Victoria, Whitehorse during Canadian trip

CP

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will visit an area in B.C. known for its ancient rainforests as well a community in Yukon that was a resting spot for Klondike gold miners when they come to Canada next month.

Kensington Palace tweeted Monday morning that Prince William and his wife Kate will visit Vancouver, Victoria, Bella Bella, Haida Gwaii and Kelowna in British Columbia as well as Whitehorse and Carcross in Yukon.

It says the trip will take place between Sept. 24 and Oct. 1.

This will be the royal couple's second visit to Canada. Their first, following their 2011 wedding, took them to Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, Charlottetown, Summerside, Yellowknife, Calgary and Slave Lake after that community was ravaged by a forest fire.

The then-newlyweds drew large crowds wherever they went, including a packed Canada Day gathering on Parliament Hill.

The visit was also seen as a way to engage young Canadians with the monarchy, given the perception of waning interest compared to that of older Canadians.

The couple's children, George and Charlotte, are reportedly slated to accompany their parents on the upcoming visit.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said details about the trip, including whether George and Charlotte are coming, are still being worked out, but added that his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau is "looking forward to an opportunity to showcase extraordinary Canadian fashion designers."

Trudeau highlighted the potential benefit the royal tour will have for Canada in raising awareness about the West Coast.

"I think this is an opportunity for us to showcase, not just to the family but to the world that watches them, how extraordinary Canada is, how incredibly beautiful our West Coast is, and, indeed, to celebrate the extraordinary success we have in Canada being an inclusive, diverse country that benefits from the most beautiful geography of any country in the world," he said outside a cabinet retreat in Sudbury, Ont.

Canadian Heritage Minister Melanie Joly said it will be a pleasure to greet the royal delegation.

"We're very excited to have the duke and duchess in the country," she said, speaking on her way into the cabinet retreat.

"It will be a great trip in B.C., in the Yukon, and I look forward to meeting them and I'm convinced that the prime minister and his wife will be very positive in greeting them to the country as well."

In a statement, Premier Christy Clark said the tour will give the couple a chance to experience B.C.'s lifestyle, culture and scenery.

"The tour is an opportunity for their Royal Highnesses to witness the very best of our province — from the Great Bear Rainforest, to the emerging generation of young, tech-minded entrepreneurs, to millennia-old indigenous cultures," she said.